Neighbors are upset with the Planning Board decision to approve the plan, saying apartment units are not suitable for the Fairacres neighborhood. They believe the apartments will increase traffic and change the character of the area.

NOW - TO THE 500 APARTMENT UNITS PLANNED FOR 74TH AND CASS. NEARBY NEIGHBORS SAY THEIR STREETS CAN'T HANDLE THE STRESS OF TRAFFIC.. BUT THE THEM WRONG. NEW AT SIX, K- E-T-V NEWSWATCH SEVEN'S MELISSA FRY WITH REACTION FROM THOSE áFOR AND AGAINST .. AT TODAY'S CITY PLANNING MEETING. ( LARRY JOBEUN / spokesman for developer: "here is where you can see the articulation in the building facades.") DEVELOPERS DELIVERED A LOT OF TALK ABOUT CURB APPEAL AND CHARACTER. BLUESTONE DEVELOPMENT'S PLAN FOR THE OLD TEMPLE ISRAEL SITE NEAR 70TH AND CASS CENTERS AROUND TWO APARTMENT BUILDINGS WITH NEARLY 500 UNITS.( JOBUEN "you have a walking trail, urban gardens, sculpture are, swimming pool.") ALONG WITH A DOG SPA AND YOGA STUDIO. BUT NONE OF THAT áREASURES NEARBY RESIDENTS.( Mark Dunbar / lives nearby - "you could put a hy-vee store in the courtyard of this building.") THE áSIZE IS ONE THING - BUT THE FEAR OF áTRAFFIC...FROM HUNDREDS APARTMENT RENTERS áREALLY WORRIES ONE OF OMAHA'S MOST WELL KNOWN RESIDENTS... SUSIE BUFFETT.( SUSIE BUFFETT: "a development with hundreds of convertible units build a will be student housing, no matter what the developer says. I think this is the reality.") BLUESTONE JOBUEN SAYS A TRAFFIC STUDY - PAID FOR BY THE DEVELOPER - SHOWS A 1.1 PERCENT INCREASE IN TRAFFIC AROUND THE PROJECT SITE. THE STUDY ALSO - 72ND AND CASS.. 72ND AND DODGE.. 69TH AND DODGE.. AND 69TH AND CASS-UNDERWOOD.( JOBEUN - "all four intersections operate at acceptable levels of service of full buildout of this particular site.")( JOBEUN - "it also showed there was no additional offsite public improvements required with this particular improvement. What's that show? There's enough capacity to handle 434 units. It's not a problem.") DOZENS WHO DISAGREE WITH THAT ALSO WANT TO PROTECT Rensch / lives nearby: busy streets lower property values as most people know.10 to 20% or more.") IN THE END - ONE ARGUMENT SWAYED ONE BOARD MEMBER. VAN DEEB DOESN'T WANT TO DESTROY THE OLD TEMPLE RELIGIOUS SITE. THE PLANNING BOARD VOTED TO RECOMMEND THE DEVELOPMENT 4 TO 1 NOW - IT GOES BEFORE THE OMAHA CITY COUNCIL FOR FINAL APPROVAL. WE'LL KEEP YOU POSTED.

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